Sydney is fast becoming a luxury hotel lover’s dream with high-end brands stamping their mark on the city with their new openings, writes Tallis Boerne Marcus.
As more and more premium hotels grace Sydney’s skyline, it’s clear the city is shaping up as one of the world’s best destinations for a luxury hotel stay. With major brands such as the Waldorf Astoria, Fullerton, Capella and the W opening in the Emerald City, visitors will be spoilt for choice of luxury hotels.
Ace Hotel Sydney
The Ace Hotel group marked its first venture into the Southern Hemisphere earlier this year, opening a 257-room hotel in Sydney’s Surry Hills in May.
There are plenty of options for eating and drinking, with a rooftop restaurant, Kiln headed by local chef Mitch Orr, a ground-floor neighbourhood restaurant Loam, the café-bar Good Chemistry, and a suave cocktail bar in the hotel lobby.
There’s also an extensive collection of art on display, sourced from contemporary Australian artists and curated by Nina Fitzgerald of The Impact Lab. The collection has an emphasis on First Nations artists, as well as their stories and local history.
Kimpton Margot Sydney
The boutique Kimpton Margot Sydney had a love-infused opening day on Valentine’s Day 2022 and has been treating guests to absolute opulence ever since.
The heritage-listed building is now fully decked-out as a high-end hotel, with 172 rooms across six flours, topped by a rooftop swimming pool. It’s nestled in a prime location between Hyde Park and the Queen Victoria Building, and a short walk to Darling Harbour.
Luxury is served up as soon as you step foot in the lobby with its expansive decor and marble columns. Don’t miss celebrity chef Luke Mangan’s on-site restaurant and you’re also just a touch away from The Wilmot Bar, where you have your pick of 35 gins and 40 whiskeys.
Rooms are spacious and meticulously put together, and the hotel’s policy of “anything that fits through the door” allows you to bring your pets along with you.
Waldorf Astoria
This particular hotel is still a little way off, with a slated opening time of early 2025, but it’s safe to assume the Waldorf Astoria bringing its luxury offering to Sydney will be well worth the wait.
Waldorf Astoria, owned by the Hilton Group, cemented its reputation as a luxury brand with its famous Park Avenue outpost in New York City. The Sydney location will stand tall above the CBD, with 179 rooms and 41 suites spread across 28 storeys. It aims to become the premier luxury hotel in Circular Quay and will be in good company with the Shangri-La, Four Seasons and Park Hyatt all perched nearby.
Crown Sydney
Crown Sydney has continued to add to its offerings since it opened in late 2020, with the Crown Casino and a new luxurious spa facility.
You can expect premium dining at Woodcut, Nobu, a’Mare and Omakase – all popular options in this desirable harbourside location.
Crown hotel’s new wellness centre sits on the sixth floor of the Barangaroo building and is laying claim to being the first spa facility in Australia to offer specialist quartz hot-sand therapy and touchless spa wave therapy. There are also relaxation rooms, vitality pools, infrared saunas and steam rooms, as well as a yoga and meditation area.
Crown Resorts took more than $2 billion to put together – and it’s truly reflected in the luxury and range of facilities you find on site.
A by Adina
Branded as a “high-end living apartment hotel concept”, courtesy of TFE Hotels, A by Adina Sydney opened to the world in mid-2021. The NSW property was the second opening for the brand in Australia, following A by Adina Canberra.
The hotel on Hunter Street comprises 82 studio apartments, 104 one-bedroom offerings, 194 apartments and eight two-bedroom units.
It is also home to an Australian first, a sky lobby that stands 100 metres above the ground, all while customers sit within the golden crown facade of the building.
Rooms have intuitive technology in the room that thrills guests with automatic raising of the blinds, turning on the lights and pre-preparing the air conditioning for a seamless welcome on entry.
Even the extractor fans in the bathroom automatically operate when needed via sensors, with the control system described as being “a bit like a high-tech butler”.
Fullerton Hotel Sydney
A proud-standing hotel among the history and hustle of Martin Place, the Fullerton Hotel Sydney marked the first dabble into the Australian market for Fullerton Hotels and Resorts.
Although the hotel opened in late 2019, the interruptions of COVID-19 mean many are still to get the chance to experience this new Sydney stay.
More than 38,000 working hours were poured into making the old building into the 416-room hotel it is now.
All classic Fullerton amenities are available, such as its signature afternoon tea and famed Singapore Sling cocktail.
The hotel has already captured many hearts, receiving rave reviews from customers, with particular praise for its location, facilities and comfort.
W Sydney
The W Sydney has been a hotly anticipated hotel opening for a while and it has finally been locked in for a 2023 launch.
W Sydney’s general manager, Craig Seaward, says not to worry: “There have been delays, but trust me, it will be worth the wait.”
W Sydney will follow the hotel brand’s openings in Brisbane and Melbourne as part of W Hotels’ Australian presence and will be a key figurehead of a new $1 billion Darling Harbour complex. The hotel will pack in a massive 585 rooms, an IMAX theatre and a retail precinct.
The interior design will mirror the harbour around it, with wave and ripple motifs scattered throughout the contemporary furnishings.
Guests will be able to look forward to a colourful infinity pool, a two-storey rooftop bar and extensive fitness facilities.
Porter House Sydney
Flinging open its doors in September 2022, Porter House has brought a new five-star experience to Sydney.
Sitting just a block from Hyde Park on Castlereagh Street, the hotel is an interesting mixture of the old and the new – the 36-storey modern tower interconnects via a walkway to a 146-year building.
This represents a new chapter in the Victorian building’s long journey to becoming a 122-room hotel, having previously housed a tobacco factory, a furniture manufacturer and famous leather merchants, among others.
You can treat yourself to the work of Executive Chef Emrys Jones at Dixson & Sons, enjoy all-day food at Henry’s Bread and Wine or sip smoothly at Spice Trader, a top-floor cocktail bar.
